Monthly TBR: December 2018

Happy December! I know I’m a little late, but it’s a new month,
which means a new “To-Be-Read” pile. 

I’m joining a readalong and a readingathon this month, so my December TBR is filled with some holiday reads and a few more books that I cannot wait to read/reread.

GOODREADS LINKS:

• The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
• Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell
• The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees
• Snow In Love by Melissa de la Cruz, Nic Stone, Aimee Friedman, and Kasie West 
• Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
• The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
• Enchantée by Gita Trelease

I’m joining Miss Print’s “Cruel Prince Readalong” this month. You can find the full details here: #cruelprincereadalong

Along with a few of my monthly reads, I am also joining TistheSeasonathon. 

What books are listed on your December TBR?

Happy Reading!

Review of My Plain Jane

Title: My Plain Jane
Author: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Retelling, Historical, Fantasy

 

Synopsis:

You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

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My Plain Jane is a unique story that combines a quirky retelling of Jane Eyre with a hint of ghost-hunting shenanigans. The book does have some funny moments, but I think the supernatural and ghost-busting were my favorite elements of the novel. I also thought it was clever that the authors took a Victorian classic and used the plot to subtly hint at a lot of our current political and cultural events/people.  

As some of you might know, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is my all-time favorite book. As a Victorian fanatic and anglophile, I love Jane Eyre for so many reasons. I love Jane’s proto-feminist attitude. My favorite scene of the novel takes place among the foggy moors. I love that the original novel incorporates the supernatural and some creepy laughing in Thornfield Hall. But I also like the brooding Mr. Rochester and the chaos that haunts his life. My Plain Jane incorporates a lot of the characters and events found in the original classic, and by focusing on the Gothic elements of the original novel, the authors of My Plain Jane add their own twists and fates to the characters. 

All of the characters are unique with their own set of flaws, and even though My Plain Jane is a “supernatural” story, the characters made the story seem realistic. If I had to pick a favorite character, I would go with Charlotte Brontë. Her character is determined, bold, and smart. I love that she is not afraid to show her witty side and her epic “can-do” attitude. I also characterized her as the “Veronica Mars” throughout the story, because she is so good at sleuthing. 

Overall, I found the My Plain Jane to be a fun and quick read. If you’re in the mood for a Jane Eyre retelling, some sleuthing, and a band of ghost-busting misfits, give My Plain Jane a read. It definitely has a Jane Eyre meets Scooby-Doo feel.   

Note:   I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in exchange for a review. I bought this book with my own funds, and I reviewed the book at my own discretion.  All statements and opinions in this review are mine. 

Waiting On Wednesday: My Plain Jane

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: My Plain Jane
Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Publication date: June 26, 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genres: Young Adult, Historical, Retelling, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis

You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Bronte, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

Goodreads | Amazon |Barnes & Noble

 

Book Review: My Lady Jane

Title: My Lady Jane
By: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Historical
Pages: 491
Format: Hardcover
Source: June’s Uppercase Box

About My Lady Jane: 

The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.

At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N |  The Book Depository

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My Rants and Raves of My Lady Jane

This review is going to be short and to the point.

I wanted to love My Lady Jane, but in the end, I just thought it was okay. Yes, it was creative and had some funny “snickering” parts, but overall the story seemed too long, too dramatic, too slow-paced, and not as funny as I thought it was going to be.

I had high expectations for My Lady Jane, because everyone was saying how hilarious it is. And friends, I was ready to read a funny book! UGH…why do overly hyped books set my standards up too high? Why?! Sadly, this historical fiction fan and lover of comedies failed to fall in love with this book. Because I thought the story dragged on in many places, I did not become invested in the storyline or with any of the characters. I honestly do not even have a favorite character, which makes me sad to even admit.

The concept of re-imagining Jane Grey’s fate is unique, and it was interesting to read the topsy-turvy conflict about humans morphing into animals, instead of focusing on the religious conflict that overpowered the monarchy at that time. But overall, even though I did not love this book, I still think My Lady Jane would be perfect for people who enjoy long drawn out romances about quirky characters. 

My Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Note:   I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in exchange for a review. I received this book in my June 2016 Uppercase subscription box, and reviewed it at my own discretion. All statements and opinions in this review are mine.